How to Repair a Leaky Dishwasher

From time-to-time dishwashers can develop leaks that will need to be repaired or you’ll end up with puddles of water on your kitchen floor. Thankfully, most of the time, it’s something simple causing the leak, which can be repaired easily without the need to call a technician over to your house.

In this guide, we will give you step-by-step instructions on how to find the cause of the leak and then apply a fix.

Step 1 – Check the hoses

The best place to start is to check the water hoses that are connected to your dishwasher. Your dishwasher will most likely have a drain hose and a hose that supplies fresh water to it.

Follow these instructions to check the hoses:

1. Pull your dishwasher out from the wall.

2. Inspect the hoses for signs of damage or leaks. If damaged, they will need to be replaced.

3. Check the connection points to make sure they are properly connected and there are no cracks in the connection points. If damaged, the connection points will need to be replaced.

4. If the hoses and connection points are okay, move on to step 2.

5. If you do replace the hoses or connection points, turn your dishwasher back on and check if the problem has been solved. If not, move on to step 2.

Step 2 – Check the spray arms

The next step is to check the spray arms. Depending on your dishwasher, you will have one or multiple spray arms. The purpose of them is to distribute water around the dishwasher when you turn it on. Sometimes, the spray arms can become clogged up with debris, which causes them to spray water towards the dishwasher door which can then leak out onto the floor.

Follow these instructions to check the spray arms:

1. Remove each spray arm from your dishwasher—they should be able to be pulled out.

2. Give each spray arm a clean with hot soapy water and then rinse it off in your sink. If the spray arms have any debris blocking the holes, remove the debris.

3. Inspect the spray arms for any signs of damage. If damaged, you’ll need to replace the spray arm/s.

4. If there is no damage and they have been cleaned, place them back into the dishwasher.

5. Turn your dishwasher onto a cycle and check if the leak has stopped. If not, move on to step 3.

Step 3 – Check the door gasket

Another possible cause of a leaking dishwasher is a defective door gasket. The door gasket is the rubber seal that goes around the dishwasher door. It’s there to ensure the door is airtight when you turn your dishwasher on. If it becomes defective, water may leak out of your dishwasher.

Follow these instructions to check the door gasket:

1. Open your dishwasher door.

2. Check the door gaskets all the way around for signs of damage.

3. If damaged, the seal will need to be repaired or replaced.

4. If they are not damaged, give the gasket a thorough clean with hot soapy water and a small brush.

5. Once cleaned, dry the gasket before closing the dishwasher door and turning it onto a cycle. If the leak is still occurring, move on to step 4.

6. If you replace the gasket, turn it onto a cycle and check if the leak has stopped. If not, move on to step 4.

Step 4 – Check the door hinges

Sometimes, a leaking dishwasher can be caused by the door hinges becoming bent out of shape, which allows water to leak out. This doesn’t happen often, but it’s worth giving the hinges an inspection to make sure.

Follow these instructions to check the door hinges:

1. Open your dishwasher door and inspect the hinges to make sure they are not damaged.

2. If damaged, the hinges will need to be replaced. If they are fine, move on to step 5.

3. If you do replace the hinges, turn your dishwasher onto a cycle and check if the leak has stopped. If not, move on to step 5.

Step 5 – Check the water inlet valve

The final two steps involve using a multimeter to test a couple of electrical components. The first component is the water inlet valve. The valve is responsible for supplying water to the dishwasher. When it can’t open and close correctly too much water can get into your dishwasher which causes leaks to occur.

Follow these instructions to check the water inlet valve:

1. Pull your dishwasher out from the wall so you can access the water inlet valve.

2. Switch the power off to your dishwasher.

3. Locate the water inlet valve and check it for any obvious signs of damage. If damaged, it will need to be replaced.

4. If there is no obvious damage, test it with a multimeter.

5. If the test shows the valve has no continuity, it will need to be replaced. If fine, move on to step 6.

6. After you replace the water inlet valve, turn your dishwasher on and check if the leak has stopped. If not, move on to step 6.

Step 6 – Check the float switch

The final step is to check the float switch. The float switch monitors the water level in your dishwasher. When the switch becomes defective, it won’t be able to send the correct signal to the main control board, and it might overflow, causing a leak to occur.

Follow these instructions to check the float switch:

1. Open your dishwasher door and remove the bottom rack.

2. Find the float switch (consult your user manual if you’re not sure where it is).

3. Once located, check that the switch isn’t stuck. If it’s stuck, you’ll need to give it a good clean.

4. Next, remove the switch from the dishwasher and then use a multimeter to test the switch for continuity.

5. If faulty, the switch will need to be replaced.6. If you do replace the switch, check once it has been installed if the leak has stopped.